Uhhh...go figure? I'm a librarian?

What Be Your Nerd Type?

Your Result: Literature Nerd

 

Does sitting by a nice cozy fire, with a cup of hot tea/chocolate, and a book you can read for hours even when your eyes grow red and dry and you look sort of scary sitting there with your insomniac appearance? Then you fit this category perfectly! You love the power of the written word and it's eloquence; and you may like to read/write poetry or novels. You contribute to the smart people of today's society, however you can probably be overly-critical of works.

It's okay. I understand.

Drama Nerd
Musician
Social Nerd
Artistic Nerd
Gamer/Computer Nerd
Science/Math Nerd
Anime Nerd
What Be Your Nerd Type?

February Reads Part 1

First up in February was a book that's been sitting on my shelf for way too long, KILLING SPREE by Kevin O'Brien (Kennsington Publishing Co., c2007, ISBN 0-7860-1775-9). This was another book set in Seattle, Washington and starred Gillian McBride, her son Ethan, her husband Barry, her friend Ruth and Jason Hurrell.
A few years back, Gillian was teaching a writing class at the local college where a serial killer began stalking female students and killing them and dressing them as Catholic schoolgirls. Then her husband disappeared and it's been over two years. Now, people are turning up dead -- people that Gillian knows -- and they are being murdered just like those written in her five published books. Horrible, gruesome deaths. Everything has Gillian jumping at shadows and she doesn't know who she can believe -- or trust. This was a fantastic suspense story and I've always like O'Brien's books, this one just got shuffled in the mix. There are a couple that I have missed but I'll be looking for them shortly.

The book starts:

All the crazies were out tonight.

My second read for February was the fun DEAD END DATING by Kimberly Raye (Ballantine Books, c2006, ISBN 0-345-49216-1).

This book would be enjoyed by those who like the Mary Janice Davidson books and probably even the Sookie Stackhouse books by Charlaine Harris.

Lil is a fabulous born vampire living in Manhattan who wants nothing more than to avoid having to work for her father's chain of copy shops, so she opens a dating matchmaking service for humans and vampires alike called Dead End Dating.

Shortly after opening the doors a hunky made vampire and bounty hunter, Ty Bonner, shows up and on the heels of a vicious serial killer with a warning for Lil. Meanwhile, Lil's business is off to a rocky start and she just needs to find the right vampire to be her poster boy for DED. Throw in a lot of designer clothes and shoes and stuff and you have a cute little book. It's not Pulitzer material (sorry, Kimberly!) but it's a great weekend read if you don't get bothered by all of the designer details.

The book begins:

For those of you who don't already know me, my name is the Countess Lilliana Arabella Guinevere du Marchette (yeah, I know), but my friends call me Lil.

January Reads Part 3

Number 7 was PLUM LUCKY by Janet Evanovich (St. Martin's Press, c2007, ISBN 978-0-312-37763-2). This is the third between the numbers book that Janet has put out featuring Stephanie and crew with a quick walk on by Morelli and Ranger and more of Diesel who we've seen in VISIONS OF SUGAR PLUMS and PLUM LOVIN'. This book also features Snuggy, Briggs, Lou Delvina and Doug, the talking horse.

It's St. Patty's Day and Stephanie's Grandma Mazur is MIA. Stephanie tracks her down to Atlantic City with Lula and Connie, playing the slots, with someone else's money. That someone else kidnaps Grandma Mazur and the romp is on.

The book begins:

My mother and grandmother raised me to be a good girl, and I have no problem with the girl part.

My eighth book read during January was THE REMAINS OF THE DEAD by Wendy Roberts (New American Library, c2007, ISBN 978-0-451-22268-8), set in Seattle, Washington. Sadie Novak owns the company Scene-2-Clean and along with Zack Bowman, an ex-cop, cleans up after death so the families don't have to. When a grieving mother hires her company to clean up after the murder-suicide of her son and daughter-in-law, Sadie gets more than she bargained for. Oh yeah, and after the suicide of her own brother years ago, Sadie can see and talk to the newly departed (except for suicides.) Her job is to help them cross over. A little talent that gives many around her a good case of the heebie jeebies. I thought this was a really fun book and I will look for more by this author. It had a great, surprise ending and I was quite taken with the occupation of the main characters. If I wasn't a librarian, I might be a crime scene cleaner upper.

The story starts:

She dipped a scrub brush into the cleaning fluid and stroked the bedroom wall in wide, arched swipes.

Number 9 in line, was not a book that I really cared to read but one I thought I needed to read because of all the controversy surrounding it, IF I DID IT: CONFESSIONS OF THE KILLER by OJ Simpson (Beaufort Books, c2007, ISBN 978-0-8253-0588-7). The story played out in Brentwood, California and featured OJ Simpson, Nicole Brown Simpson, Ron Goldman, Paula Barbieri and Kato Kaelin with some other people thrown in for historic measure.
Honestly, this book made me sick but I'm glad that the money is not going to OJ Simpson or his family but to the Goldman family since they were given the rights by a judge to satisfy a $38 million wrongful death judgment against the former football star.

The book begins:

I'm going to tell you a story you've never heard before, because no one knows this story the way I know it.

And finally, number 10, was BLOOD DREAMS by Kay Hooper (Bantam Books, c2007, ISBN 978-0-553-80484-3). Set in Venture, Georgia (Prophet County), this book is the beginning of a new psychic series featuring Noah Bishop and his SCU team. In this book, twelve women are murdered in the Boston area ending with the daughter of a US Senator. The killer goes underground and resurfaces in Venture, GA where Dani Justice is having psychic visions about the murders and people she's never met -- until they show up on her doorstep asking for her help. Together they will have to use all of their abilities to stop a madman from continuing his rampage.

I liked this story alot. It has kind of a Groundhog's Day effect to it, with the dream sequences, but I thought that made for a more interesting story. I haven't met a Kay Hooper Noah Bishop SCU book that I didn't like.

The first sentence of the book is:

It was the nightmare brought to life, Dani thought.

January Reads Part Dos

Book four for the month was ORGANIZE YOUR CORPSES by Mary Jane Maffini (Penguin Group, c2007, ISBN 978-0-425-21580-7), a cozy mystery set in Woodbridge, NY. Charlotte Adams is a professional organizer with two adorable dachshunds, Truffle and Sweet Marie. She agrees to take a job organizing for her old teacher, Helen "Hellfire" Henley. Miss Henley has some important documents to find but the next day she is found murdered and Charlotte is moved to the top of the list of suspects. Something is not right with the Henley family, however, and enlisting the help of her friends, Charlotte aims to find out what it is, while saving lives all around her and trying not to get killed herself.

This book was sent to me by Miss Maffini because she had read that I too, like her, have a doxie that is the light of my life. I'm really glad she sent it too, because although I am not a big fan of either cozies or books written in first person, I enjoyed this book alot and will look for the other Charlotte Adams books.

The book begins:

"Is this some kind of death wish?"

Next up was a non-mystery, GOOD DOG. STAY. by Anna Quindlen (Random House, c2007, ISBN 978-1-4000-6713-8). It is the author's account of living with her Black Lab, Beau and then Bea, a yellow Lab puppy as Beau gets older and more infirm. My favorite part of the book was the fantastic photographs of wonderfully expressive dogs. A very short read, with only 83 pages, I read it in one sitting while the wind and snow howled outside. If you read MARLEY AND ME and liked it, I think you would enjoy this quick little read as well.

The book starts:

For several years I was that most pathetic of creatures, a human who walks into the veterinarian's office without an animal.

And 6th on my list was A KILLING RAIN by PJ Parrish (Kensington Publishing Co., c2005, ISBN 0-7860-1606-X), the sixth of the Louis Kincaid novels. In this book, someone is after Austin Outlaw, the ex-husband of Louis' girlfriend, Susan. Then, Susan's son Benjamin is kidnapped and all bets are off. Louis is on the case. While tracking the baddies from Captiva to Miami, Louis is paired up with Miami detective Joette, commonly called Joe, Frye. She turns up in a later book as well which I am looking very forward to reading, because the relationship that develops between Louis and Joe is HOT! PJ Parrish never disappoints and this book is no exception!

The book's first sentence is:

Sunday, January 10, 1988

The road in front of him was empty.

January 2008 reads Part One

Book One of 2008 was COUNT TO TEN by Karen Rose (Warner, c2006, ISBN 978-0-446-61690-4). Mia Mitchell is a detective with the Chicago, IL Police Department and her partner is in the hospital so when a case comes up, arson with a homicide, she is paired with Reed Solliday, a fire investigator, to find this firebug. And he's a nasty one, raping and murdering women, setting them on fire along with their houses. Is it random or revenge? Good, solid story with a creepy bad guy and sparks galore between the two protags.

It starts:

Springdale, Indiana

Thursday, November 23, 11:45 P.M.

He stared at the flames with grim satisfaction.

My second read of the year was Michelle Bardsley's I'M THE VAMPIRE, THAT'S WHY (Signet Eclipse, c2006, ISBN 0-451-21937-6) a smokin' hot book! I'm not one who blushes over many things, but the sexual content and description in this book had me blushing red from ear to ear and to my toes!!! I would give it a strong R rating for sexual content.

Written in first person, Jessica Matthews is living in Broken Heart, OK and is single mom to Bryan and Jenny when she attacked and turned into a vampire. Now she has to figure out how to be both, while at the same time fighting her increasing attraction to Patrick O'Halloran, the super-hot vampire who turned her and turns her on.

It begins:

The night I died, I was wrestling a garbage can to the curb.

Third up, was IDENTITY by Steven Piziks (Pocket Books, c2003, ISBN 0-7434-7653-0). Set just outside of Las Vegas, NV there is a cast of characters too numerous to mention. One part of the story has eleven strangers stranded at a motel during a freak rain storm in the desert. They start dying off, one by one - the killer leaving room keys at the scenes as a countdown. The second part of th story has to do with an evidence hearing for Malcolm Rivers, a man who's to be put to death the very next day.
With the number of characters in the book I was pretty sure I'd hate it and then ended up reading it in one afternoon. The end made me go, "Whoa!" and as it's based on a movie that I've now added to my queue at Netflix.

The book begins:

Greg Kerrick closes his eyes, takes a deep breath, and says, "Gary Home" into his cell phone.

December Reads Part Deux

LAST BREATH by George Shuman (Simon & Schuster, c2007, ISBN 978-1-4165-3490-7) is the second book featuring Sherry Moore, a blind psychic who can see the last 18 seconds of the deceased's life. This book jumps all around the country and it begins with the bodies of two women who had disappeared years earlier, found in a storage container. Sherry Moore is called in to help with the investigation. Autoerotic asphyxiation plays a key part in this story and gets quite graphic at times. The only real problem I had with the book was it had a lot of characters to keep track of and the people were here, and here, and here, and here and here, and here...I remember the first book sucked me in right off the bat. This one took a little bit.

It starts:

She didn't feel quite right about the red dress; it wasn't a red dress kind of day.

SACRED COWS by Karen Olson (Warner Books, c2005, ISBN 0-446-61685-0" is a book that has been sitting on my TBR pile for several months. Set in New Haven, CT the book is first in a series and is written in first person POV. Annie Seymour works as a crime reporter and when she is summoned to the scene of a murder - a young Yale student by day, escort by night. Digging in, Annie finds the murder linked to some high-end city official muckety-mucks and it appears her own mother may be involved! Working with Vinny and fighting with Tom, she struggles to get the up on a killer story, without getting killed in the process. Annie is a fun character but WARNING -- she likes to cuss. But then so do I, so that could have been a part of the draw for me.

The book starts out:

My hand closed over the cold steel in that second between hearing the phone ring and before my eyes opened.

BLIZZARD: THE STORM THAT CHANGED AMERICA by Jim Murphy (Scholastic Press, c2000, ISBN 0-590-67309-2) was a book I read over the Christmas break from work because they were predicting a major storm. I am not a big fan of winter and I know I live in the wrong state for that mentality, but I thought that this would put my hatred for ice and snow in its place, if only for a little while.
And it did. The massive snowstorm that hit the Northeast in 1888 was a chiller.

The book starts out:

On Saturday, March 10, 1888, the weather from Maine on down to Maryland was clear and unusually warm.

My final read for the year 2007 was a book I read much praise about: CITY OF FIRE by Robert Ellis (St. Martin's Minotaur, c2007, ISBN 978-0-312-36613-1).
This book was fantastic -- I am glad this was the last book of the year for me. Detective Lena Gamble of the LAPD is working on the Romeo case, where women are being raped and butchered and left to be found by a loved one. When Lena's dead brother's band member is found at a scene in what appears to be a murder/suicide, Lena buckles down to find the killer because now it's become personal.
Lena was a fabulous character -- very gritty, very real. I like that in a woman. And I look forward to reading more of Ellis' books.

This book began:

She rolled over in bed, nudging the corner of the pillow with her cheek and burrowing in.

Thanks for reading with me in 2007. I hope to be quicker with my posts (and more regular) in 2008 but until I no longer have to work for "the man" I make no guarantees.

Happy New Year!

~Shannon

December Reads Part 1

First up, was BLOOD BROTHERS by Nora Roberts (Penguin Group, c2007, ISBN 978-0-7394-9088-4)and was very slow starting out for me, but it picked up speed, had that woo-woo element that I really enjoy and I ended up flying through the last half. This book begins a new trilogy by Nora Roberts. In 1652, evil was unleased and then put down. And on July 7, 1987 when Cal, Fox and Gage turned ten, they made a pact at the Pagan Stone that rereleased the buried evil. And every seven years since, on July 7th, the townfolk go mad for seven days -- some survive, some don't. Quinn is an author who shows up to Hawkins Hollow, MD (as far as I can tell, this IS a fictional town) to write the story and there is an immediate connection for her. Will they stop the evil that is happening in this sleepy little town? Tune in for books 2 and 3.

The story begins:

It crawled along the air that hung heavy as wet wool over the glade.

MIDNIGHT ALLEY by Rachael Caine (NAL Jam, c2007, ISBN 978-0-451-222388-1) is the third book in the Morganville, TX vampire series. In this book, Claire has received protection from Amelie, queen of the vampires, after the events from the previous book. Now she has been ordered to take advanced placement classes at college as well as do some understudy work with Myrnin, a vampire with control issues. Meanwhile, Eve's brother Jason is causing problems, Captain Obvious and his crusade of anti-vamp followers are attacking the undead, Shane is attacked and Claire almost kills her arch nemesis. The book ends with a bang and is left wide open for the next installement. Good entry in the series.

The first sentence is:

The instant the phone rang at the Glass House, Claire knew with a psychic flash that it had to be her mother.

Third in line was THE SURVIVORS by Dinah McCall (Mira, c2007, ISBN 0-7783-2435-4).

This romantic suspense novel set in Carlisle, KY has Johnny O'Ryan coming home to his father for Christmas when his plane crashes going down over Kentucky. Johnny is only five years old. He witnesses a brutal murder and another surviving passenger, Molly scoops him up and they run for their lives. Deborah is psychic and "sees" Molly and Johnny in danger and offers her help to the O'Ryan men when they show up to search for their youngest. This book was a quick and easy read with a typical boy meets girl plot.

The book begins:

Destry Poindexter was beating the hell out of his wife, Lucy.

November End Reads

If only I could be a full-time blogger...but, alas, real life seems to get in the way and then I have to do a mad rush job to get caught up. Well, here were my latest reads rounding out November:

LAST KNOWN VICTIM by Erica Spindler (Mira, c2007, ISBN 978-0-7783-2461-4).
Set in New Orleans, LA and apparently a continuation of characters from a previous book that I didn't read, though this book worked just fine as a stand-alone. Captain Patti O'Shay's husband is found dead during Hurricane Katrina. Fast forward two years and his badge and gun are retrieved from under a female victim unearthed. Yvette Borger is receiving threatening notes from The Artist and those she turns to for help wind up dead. Unfortunately, she cried wolf one too many times and no one is believing her. But there is a bad person lurking around and they are all up to their necks in trouble in the Big Easy. Good story, quick paced and I liked the characters. I will eventually read the previous story/stories they are in.

First sentence:

The gods were watching over New Orleans.

EYE OF THE BEHOLDER by Shari Shattuck (Signet, c2007, ISBN 978-0-451-22199-5)is set in Shadow Hills, California -- a suburb of Los Angeles (I thought it was a fictional place. It's not. Google it.)
Greer and Joshua Sands, mother and son, have recently moved to Shadow Hills to put the past behind them and to open Greer's second beauty salon, when they both have visions of a dangerous element in town. Then a teenage girl goes missing - to be found, battered, abused, branded and left for dead. And then again, the girl across the street goes missing. But is it the same bad guy or something else?
This was a great, quick read although I found it to be overwritten at times -- too much description. I do, though, love a good psychic story.

It begins:

Thursday
The Eye of the Beholder Beauty Salon and Day Spa opened for business on an ominous Thursday in January.

Sexy, sexy.

I knew it!

You Are More Like Angelina Jolie

Bad girl with a heart of gold. You are smart, sexy, and strong willed. You aren't against stealing another girl's man... If he's better off with you!

Are You More Like Jennifer or Angelina?

How quirky am I?

For those who know me, you may or may not be surprised.

For those who don't, you may or may not care.

Your Quirk Factor: 48%

You're a pretty quirky person, but you're just normal enough to hide it. Congratulations - you've fooled other people into thinking you're just like them!

How Quirky Are You?